dreaded appointment update and sick kids

Yeah, I know the appointment was about a week and a half ago. The appointment went much better than I excepted. As you can see in my last blog post I wasn't looking forward to this appointment!

We got there and they had a regular parking area (not covered) and I got the only spot open at the time. They seemed OK with the fact that I brought 3 additional tag-alongs. Not only that, they even took all 4 kids to an "activity room" while I talked to all the different people. Imagine, quiet time while trying to talk to a kids doctor. Pretty much unheard of.

I saw all the people at the same time, which is very smart if you ask me. There was an MD, OT, dietitian, psychologist, and a nurse practitioner. They asked lots of questions and all jotted down their own notes. I felt kinda like an interview!

The OT wanted me to bring foods Max likes and some he doesn't like. I did that. She played "food scientist" with him. They had a piece of paper listing their assignment (so to speak) and were supposed to use the senses to discover the food. First they looked at the food and noted what it looked like (shape or color or whatever), then smell, touch, TASTE and what sound it made while being eaten. Max was NOT going for that trick. No way, no how! So the OT and dietitian got to see his reaction to that experiment. I am supposed to that 5 times a week. I have to admit I have not followed through with that yet. I know, I know! We need to at least try.

The dietitian said she really wanted him to take a Flintstones Complete vitamin. The last dietitian told us that has well. He will take the gummy bear vitamins but that is it. After the last lady recommended them (Flintstones) to us I bought a bottle to try. Max will not even touch them. My other kids don't like them either. To me they are very sweet and have a strong iron taste. So yeah, not very yummy compared to a gummy vitamin! This lady recommended crushing one up and mixing it with applesauce. Maybe even try to mix only 1/2 a pill to start with. I have to say that has been successful... so yay! That was most important to start with from the dietitians viewpoint. Have I done it every day? no, but it's a start. I even do a full pill. I mixed with applesauce, and tried one night using apple juice. Didn't work that well with juice. It didn't dissolve but he still drank it and even asked to get it refilled once. Which is good since there were still chunks in the bottom! Today I mixed with yogurt and it was all good.

Another suggestion is the 'just noticeable difference' to preferred foods. I really was not sure about that one. Max refuses anything that LOOKS different. Take chocolate for example... he likes Hersey bars, kisses and chocolate eggs. But NO other chocolate (Easter bunny or any other shaped chocolate) he also doesn't like the mini Hersey bars. They look too different I guess. They suggested maybe change his bagel type. Max eats 1/2 a toasted onion bagel for breakfast, usually every morning. At least during the school year... (summer changes to whatever!). They recommended sesame seed but nothing with chunks (like blueberry). I wasn't so sure. So one morning a fixed a sesame seed bagel but it was the bottom half.. the side with very few seeds. But the taste would be different. He ate it with no complaints. So the next day I gave him an onion one again then the day after I braved it and fixed the top half of that sesame seed bagel. I tired to brush off a few of the seeds but not very many came off. I gave it him and acted no different. I watched from a distance out of the corner of my eye. He ate the whole thing!! I know, one bagel type to another seems like no big deal. I see it as a step though. Baby steps, right?

I still need to mix it up more for him. The store has hot pockets on sale this week. He will not eat them and I really don't even buy them b/c it is not very healthy food. However, the people at the clinic suggested other pizza type foods that are different to him. They asked about hot pockets and kinda suggested trying them. I had Max help me pick a few out. One is a cheese stuffed crust pizza type of thing. Not sure he knew we was picking them out for himself yet. I still need to try them. You know the picture always looks SO much different than the actual product. I will have to have him agree to try what is ON the box and have him help fix it since it will look different. Hopefully that works. Not that I want him eating Hot pockets but it is something different. Something to hopefully expand on.

The OT there said every one of her patients have started eating new foods but one. I should have asked if that one had Down syndrome!!

Another suggestion was to not offer the same foods at the same time of day for 2 days in a row. I told them I don't think that would matter. As long as a food is on HIS approved list he will eat whatever at anytime of day. They suggested yogurt one day for breakfast but the next day be something different like a bagel. I told them he asks for pizza every day for breakfast, he just doesn't get it! Really, he fine eating bagels for breakfast or dinner or snack or whenever. Same with pizza, spaghetti and other foods on HIS list!

We follow up August 1st with that clinic. However, he now has an OT appointment to work with food at a closer children's mercy clinic... On Monday. My husband says I shouldn't go, that it is a waste of time and money. They aren't going to do anything I can't do. I still plan on going. Pete says just fix one meal for everyone and everyone has to eat the same thing. After a few days they will all be eating it with no problems. I don't think that would work, and well, I'm not going to try it. Max will just eat something else later that he wants. yeah, I know, don't let him. But to make it short.. It's not going to happen. If you know of any study done to try and prove MY point, please do share!! I just don't think some major change like that would work.

The clinic we went to has a certain criteria they use to screen out patients. First it is called the Special Needs Weight Management Clinic. So, obviously they have to have some type of special needs. Second they have to have a BMI of 95% or above. I guess at the last dietitian place his BMI was 95%. Which just seems like such a crock to me. His BMI is 21, well within the normal limit. OK, so yeah, he is a little chunk and possibly a little over weight but his BMI is normal people. However, compared to other 9 1/2 year old boys, who are generally tall and skinny, he has a high BMI. At this appointment though his BMI went down. Apparently he grow an inch or 2 and has maintained the same weight. He no longer qualifies for this clinic. Which I see as a good thing personally.

Whew, that was long!

On another note, my kids are all battling some virus or something! Ike started with a high fever spike Weds evening. By Thursday he seemed better. Sam and Joe then spiked fevers. Whatever it is must take a high temp to kill it off. Joe's fever was around 103 and Sam's was 103 -105. I alternated Tylenol and ibuprofen for her. First time I have ever done that for any of my kids by the way. I'm sure Pete would have freaked out if he knew her temp was that high. He tends to freak about things like that. Whereas I know the fever is killing off the bad guys and the body can take care of itself. What would the doctors do? Well at the ER take my $200 and then send me home telling me to rotate the meds (like I was doing). Today (Friday) she was still sick but her fevers were lower, maybe 102-103. Same with Joe, a little better. Sam said her throat hurt (so did Joe but he acted pretty much fine). So I made an appointment with the doctor at 3:30. This was to see if maybe it was strep. Max and I were fine but we both have no tonsils! Around 2:00 Sam started acted like herself again. Max then took a turn for the worse and sat on my lap with his head down. I had him go lay down. He did for a few minutes but came back out and sat in a computer/desk chair. he was falling asleep while sitting there so I went and laid down with him for a few minutes (after giving him meds). Sam didn't want to go the doctor to get a swab crammed down her throat, hmm, I wonder why? Plus she acted fine so I canceled the appointment around 2:30. Around 4 or a little after Sam was acting sick again. And still is (at 9:30 at night). Joe acts fine but still has a fever. Max... well, Max is back to himself again, picking on siblings and scaring the crap out of the cat. Ike has acted fine all day but feels a little warm and fell asleep in the late afternoon (and still sleeping)

Whatever it is, I hope it all disappears by tomorrow!